Rear Window | 1954
- Locations |
- Los Angeles, California
- DIRECTOR |
- Alfred Hitchcock
As an Alfred Hitchcock favourite, I suppose Rear Window has to be mentioned, if only to record the unsurprising fact that there are no real locations to see.
It’s set in 'Greenwich Village', New York, but the movie was shot entirely on a gigantic set built at Paramount Studios on Melrose Avenue in Hollywood.
Hitchcock loved technical challenges (Lifeboat, set in a single boat; Rope, shot in one ‘unbroken’ take on a single set). The simple setting of one apartment block required the building of one of the largest indoor sets then constructed in Hollywood.
Too large for the soundstage, in fact. As it was impossible to build higher, the studio floor was removed to allow the necessary height.
Of the 31 apartments which can be seen from the window of photographer Jeffries (James Stewart), twelve were fully furnished.
If you want to visit the famous studio (you can see the lot in Sunset Boulevard) you can book a Paramount Studios VIP Tour. The 2-hour tour caters for small groups Monday to Friday.
